Rocket gun



ROCKET GUN IIllIIIlIIIl/JII/IIIIIIIIIIIIII/IhVIII D. RIABOUCHINSKI Filed June l0, 1924 Illini/n Feb 28, i928.

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Patented Feb. 28, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

IJMITRI RVIABOUCHINSKI, .0F BIARRITZ, FRAN.

ROCKET GUN.V

Application led June 10, 1924, Serial No.

My invention relates to the use of the reaction c the streams of gas produced by the deiiagration of explosive substances in order to obtain vpowerful impulsive forces and couples which are applicable to any desired mechanical system in air and water, as for the preliminary combustion rocket disclosed in my specification No. 1,440,175, and for my small trench reactionun as described in fasciculus No. 6 of tie Bulletin de l Institut Arodynamique de Koutchino (Gauthier-Villars, Paris,1920, page 75); said gun was smooth bore and muzzle-loading, andthe cartridge containind the powder was disposed upon tie wall of the gun itself.

This invention relates more parcularly to a gun/the operation4 of which i based upon the above principle and which may further be used, if desired, as a vertical hammer.

The various characteristic features of the invention will be set forth in the following description referring to the appended draw ings in which: s

Fig. 1 is an axial section of a ritled gun of the reaction type, or rocket-gun, according to the invention.

Fig. 2 shows amodification of the gun adapted to be used as a vertical hammer and Fig. 3 is a further modiiication of the said n. In the riiied gun of the reaction type or rocket-gun shown in Fig. 1 the cartridge c is mounted within the outer casing a', for instance by means of springs b; the cartridge c contains the explosive d and also the detonator e whereof f is the ignition cable; 2'. is the projectile. The operation of the said rocket-gun is as follows. When the detonator e is fired, this effects the explosion of the charge d contained in the cartridge c', and the reaction of the gas escaping through the orifice g will therefore launch the projectile i.

.If the outer casing is disposed in a vertical position and if for the projectile of Fig. 1 is substituted an impact member, the gun will be adapted to work as a vertical hammer, For inst-'ance in Fig. 2, within the outer casing a, which is held in position by adequatermeans, e. g. by a support n, is secured, for instance by the springs b, a cartridge c, containing ordinary black powder or any suitable explosive d and adetonator e, the ignition cable being shown at f.

719,210, and in France September 14 1923.

The pile i to be driven into lthe ground Z is of wood, metal or other material, and is slidable after the manner of a piston in the casing a; the said pile is preliminarily suspended, e. g. by means of the hook m, to the cartridge c.

The operation of this apparatus is as follows. When the detonator e is tired, this will cause the explosion of the charge d contained in the cartridge o. Due to the reaction of the gas discharged through the orifice g, the sald pile 11 will be driven out with great force and will sink into the ground Z. Obviously, the said method can be used, when the pile has been preliminarily disposed with its point resting upon the ground, or for the driving of piles which are partially sunk in position.

The gun shown 1n Fig. 8 may further be pivoted on any suitable known vsupport and fixed ih any angular position, so that it can be used as welly as a rocket gun or as a vertical( hammer. y

The trunnions of the tube are so disposed that the centre of gravity of the tube is situated on their axis.

The vertical position of the tube shown in full and dotted lines is that corresponding to the use 'of the apparatus as a vertical hammer, the pile being disposed therein in the same manner as that shown in Fig. 2.

The outer casing of a rocket-gun according to the invention may comprise two or more chambers, communicating or isolated, each containing one or more cartridges whereof the charges may be caused to explode simultaneously or successively. Such an arrangement is shown by way of example in Fi 3 in which the tube wall comprises a ee space 1*, which is of annular shape, or a numbei' of free spaces each of which extends only over a part of the circumference of the tube. A cartrid e or a charge of powder s is disposed in t e said space and may be firedv by any convenient means u. at the same time as the main cartridge c. Suitable apertures areprovided for the exhaust of the combustion gases from said space or spaces. During the explosion, a pressure will be also set up within the space or spaces 7', and the amount of-powder inserted therein is such that the said pressure is lower than the pressure produced in the interior of the tube by the combustion of the cartridge' c and sol that the differences in the gas pressures upon the two .faces of each wall t1 or t2 shall be compatable with the strength of this wall.

The said arrangement is also applicable to guns of the usual types.

5 In other Words, due to this arrangement the pressure to which the gun Wall is sub'- jected will diminish from the central chamber to the exterior, which permits of using tubes having a relatively light Weight. This lo is particularly advantageous in the case of the apparatus shownin Fig. Ltwhich can be -used in practice only if the conditions of light weight and rigidity of the tube are both complied with.

The said device may be employed under Water byclosing the end openings as disclosed in my Patent No. 1,440,175. I may further employ therocket-gun in such manner that after the explosion of the cartridge, the projectile alone will be projected out ot' the water.

It is also indispensable, in order to insure the regular working of the above described apparatus, that all the cartridges employed shall possess the same strength. In order to effect the explosion of the cartridge, a

- suitable method of ignition of the explosive substance which is most appropriate to the strength of the gun Wall and to the end in 30 View, must be chosen. The ignition .of the cartridge can be effected'at botli ends at once or throughout the whole length of the axis of the cartrid e, as shown for the cartridge 0 in Fig. 3. ne may use in general for the ignition of the explosive cartridges disposed in the rocket-guns, all suitable meansvin use 1n mine blastingf and in artillery practice which are compatible with the strength of the said gun wall. y

I-Iaving now described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Let'- ters Patent is:

1. A rocket apparatus comprising a tube` open atl both ends, an explosive cartridge supported within said tube so as to leave a free space around the cartridge, means for firm said cartridge and a separate impact mem er substantially choking said tube and adaptedto slide in and to be projected out of said tube under the action of the combustion gases. w

. 2. In a rocket apparatus a plurality 'of chambers surrounding each other,` an eX- plosive material contained within the innermost of said chambers, means for firing said material and means whereby :flower preslgun and gradually decreasing from the ccn- (er to the periphery of the gun wall.

4. A rocket gun comprising a tube adapted to receive a projectile, means for supporting an explosive cartridge Within said tube so as to leai'e a. free space around the cartridge, a number of chambers provided in the tube wall in the rear .of the loading position for the projectile, means for irinV said cartridge and means for producing witliin said cham-, bers a pressure partially counterbalancing the explosive pressure within said tube gradually decreasing from the center to the periphery of the gun Wall. A

A5. A rocket gun comprising a tube adapted 'to receive a projectile, means for supporting an explosive cartridge Within'said tube so as to leave a free space around the cartridge, a number of chambers provided in the tube Wall, an 'explosive material within -Said chambers vand adapted to set up in said chambers a pressure which is gradually decreasing from the center to the periphery of the gun Wall and means for firing said` cartridge and said explosive material. f

6. A rocket apparatus comprising a tube open at both ends, an explosive cartridge supported within said tube so as to leave a free space around the cartridge, means for firing said cartridge simultaneously at a plurality of points of the-same and a separate impact'member substantially choking said tube and. adapted to slide in and to b e projected out of said tube under the action of the combustion gases.

' 7. In ya' gun a number of chambers provided 'in the gun wall and means for producing in said chambers a pressure which 1s 105 lower than the operative pressure'within the combustion chamber of the gun and which gradually decreases from the inner periphery to the outer periphery ofthe gun wall.

In testimony whereof I llave signed my llo name to this specification.

' DMITRI I R-IABOUCHINSKI. 

